Prince Wharf 1 is buzzing with noise, with a game of wheelchair basketball going on in one corner, a couple of games of table tennis and table cricket being hotly contested while other people peruse the art exhibition or chat with stall holders.

Gearing Up is a biannual expo aimed to showcase the services for people with disabilities to encourage everyone to be involved, connected, educated, inspired, informed and employed.

The mood is positive as people talk about how they can break down barriers people with disabilities face to make them just another member of our community.

Sport for everyone

One of the first things you see as you walk into the expo is a wheelchair basketball court, a couple of table sports games and tenpin bowling.

"We're here to shut out to everyone that sport is fantastic," says Alison Mosely, State Manager of Special Olympic Tasmania.

Special Olympics Tasmania run sporting activities, from tenpin bowling to soccer to bocce, for people with an intellectual disability.

"We're not elite, we're very much about participation base and the social benefit you get out of sport."

Ms Mosely says it's all about giving people a go to just do the best they can. But there is a competitive side to it as well as the social side of the sports.

"We do also have a competition pathway," says Ms Mosely.

"We do have state games and opportunities for nationals...and from there we have the World Games that are in LA [USA] in 2015."

Special Olympics was started in Tasmania in the 1970s, one of the first Australian states to have sports offered for people with intellectual disabilities. Ms Mosely says things are slowly changing with more sporting clubs accepting people with disabilities into their clubs, but there's still a need to offer to special events.

With about four million people participating in Special Olympic events world-wide, it's a big sporting movement that's not going away any time soon.

"There's obviously a need for it and while there's a need then Special Olympics will exist."

Breaking down barriers

A wide range of stalls stretch the length of Princes Wharf 1.

One stall in particular is eye catching, covering in bright paintings and objects.

"It's like us; colourful, vibrant, happy," says Jeff Bendall, program manager with Life Without Barriers.

"We just thought we'd come a show what our clients can do."

Life Without Barriers is a disability service that stretches across Tasmania, providing a range of services for people with disabilities, from art activities to foster care.

They also run activities to get people out into the community helping others.

"We have a volunteer program where they go out and help in the community, could be mowing lawns, sometimes trimming some trees back, also working down at Second Bite...so we get involved with programs in the community."

For clients that are as able-bodied, or just aren't interested in volunteer work, there are art activities, which is on display at Gearing Up.

With the NDIS coming up in July, interest in just what organisations such as Life Without Barriers do is up.

"People want to know about all the services available for their children and a lot of people here are asking about our programs and what we do. So it's fantastic."

Caring for the carers

While Gearing Up aims to help people with disabilities reach their potential, it's also there for those who care for others.

Mental Health Carers Tasmania supports those who spend much of their life supporting others.

"We provide support services to enable those people to get the services they need to provide the care that they need to provide, but also about looking after their own health and wellbeing," says Wendy Groot, Executive Officer with Mental Health Carers Tasmania.

"If you don't look after yourself, then you can't look after the person you're trying to support as well."

Being at an expo such as Gearing Up helps to get the word out about just what a carer, as many people don't identify with the term as they're just trying to help someone they love.

"We find that most people don't like the tag of carer," says Ms Groot.

"Most people seeing the tag of carer as being paid to give support, so we use the language of supporting the people around you.

"They tend to underestimate what they're doing and the impact that it has and how important they are."

Ms Groot says people find the Gearing Up expo more accessible than walking into a mental health clinic or similar, giving more people a chance to find out just what a carer is an what help they can get to continue to help those they care for.

Gearing Up Expo goes to Launceston in June with dates yet to be set for Burnie.